Chelsea
midfielder Moises Caicedo has told Sky Sports it was "impossible" to turn
down the club in favour of Liverpool last summer - as the Reds came in too
late for him.
Caicedo moved to Stamford Bridge for a British transfer record £115m in
August, putting a dent in Liverpool's fruitless search for a new No 6
following Fabinho's summer departure.
They eventually opted for Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, who joined
Jurgen Klopp's side for around £100m less than the Ecuadorian and has
started only four of their 16 Premier League games this season.
Caicedo had been linked with a move to Chelsea long before Liverpool's
interest became public. Speaking to Sky Sports ahead of Saturday's home game
with Sheffield United, he revealed the length of the negotiations he had
held with the Blues was a deciding factor in where he ended up after leaving
Brighton.
"I was talking with Chelsea for a long time. It was impossible to say not to
Chelsea, because they were with me supporting me," Caicedo explained.
"In the summer I suffered a lot because it was complicated to leave
Brighton. They were with me, and in the last moment Liverpool called me but
it was [too] late because I wanted to play for Chelsea. It was tough to say
no to Chelsea."
The size of Caicedo's price tag eclipsed the British record fee already paid
by Chelsea to Enzo Fernandez earlier in 2023, and has only been amplified by
a tough start to life in West London.
On whether he feels shackled by the price paid for him, Caicedo said: "Not
for the fee, because at Chelsea you always have to win. Always, every game,
if you don't win you feel the pressure, because the fans always want to see
the team winning.
"Sometimes it's difficult [to win] because the other teams are tough as
well. We know we are Chelsea, but we are a new team with young players.
Personally, I've only been here four months, everything is new for me.
"I think it's about time. It's going to take time."
Caicedo remains confident despite tough
start
Caicedo was seen as one of the Premier League's brightest defensive
midfielders under Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton, who he helped qualify for
the Europa League for the first time in their history last season.
He is yet to reproduce that form in the blue shirt of Chelsea, who have won
only five of 16 Premier League games since his arrival and sit 12th in the
table, already 14 points off a top-four spot.
That has not dented the confidence of the 22-year-old, who has already
racked up 59 appearances in the English top flight and missed only one
league game at the Amex last season.
"In my career, I've achieved a lot, for example playing for the national
team, [then] Brighton bought me and I played a good season at Brighton," he
told Sky Sports.
"I did really well. Other people spent on me, because last season I was an
incredible player and other people were speaking [well] about me.
"I know that this moment, it will arrive, because in football there will be
good and bad times.
"Right now, this is a bad time for me, and my family is suffering a lot
because they read and listen to the things people say about me that are not
good.
"It's hard. It's hard for me. I try to be strong, because football is like
this. I am prepared for this.
"I try to help them in every single way, because they're with me in good
moments and bad moments. After God, my family is the most important thing.
"They are proud but, at the moment, they are suffering because of how people
speak about me, not in a good way. It's normal. I tell them to be relaxed
and not read the bad things because it's not good for them."
On the bond he shares with Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino, Caicedo
said: "We have a good relationship. He protects me from the criticism. He
has been really kind and patient with me.
"He knows who I am and that is why he is relaxed with me. I'm only here four
months; I didn't do a good pre-season because it was tough for me. I'm sure
I'm going to really show my quality, to show who I am."
'Kante and Pogba were my idols in
football'
Caicedo and outgoing Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante passed like ships in
the night at Stamford Bridge, with the Frenchman leaving London for Saudi
Arabia at the end of his contract on June 30, barely a month before his
replacement was signed.
It meant the ex-Brighton man never got to play alongside the idol he watched
growing up - and as a 15-year-old saw him complete Leicester's Premier
League fairytale in 2016 - but he does still have a memory of facing him in
the Premier League, at least.
"N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba were my idols in football," he said. "I loved
watching them.
"Playing in my neighbourhood, I would play with my brother's friends. It was
amazing because they were older, so I learnt a lot from them.
"Meeting N'Golo Kante - it was amazing. I was at Brighton, on the bench. I
think it was 1-1. After the game, I ran straight to Kante to swap shirts. He
said 'yes, of course'.
"He was very kind with me. It was an incredible moment for me because I met
my idol.
"It was the same with Paul Pogba and I swapped shirts with him. I have the
shirts back in Ecuador. Nobody can take the shirts away. They are so special
to me."
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